Graham Taylor selected 28 players
for the game with Brazil at Wembley on May 17, plus four on standby: Gary
Pallister of Manchester United, the PFA's Player of the Year, who had narrowly
missed out on the 1988 squad; the Tottenham Hotspur pair, Gary Mabbutt and Paul
Stewart; and Geoff Thomas of Crystal Palace.

Liverpool right-back, Rob Jones
pulled out of the squad, two days before the Brazil game, with shin splints. On
the day following the 1-1 draw with Brazil, Taylor announced his 20-man squad,
thirteen days ahead of the deadline. Andy Sinton of Queens Park Rangers was
placed on standby, in case Liverpool's John Barnes failed to respond to
treatment on his troublesome right thigh, and David Seaman of Arsenal was named
as the reserve goalkeeper, as stipulated by UEFA. Five other players from the 28
were excluded: Manchester City goalkeeper, Tony Coton; his team-mate, Keith
Curle; experienced Rangers right-back, Gary Stevens; and two Arsenal players;
midfielder, David Rocastle, who also missed out on the 1990 World Cup; and the
First Division's top scorer, Ian Wright. Another right-back, Lee Dixon of
Arsenal dropped out of the squad with a knee injury, a week later and Gary
Stevens was drafted in to replace him.

With the squad submitted to UEFA,
England had one final warm-up game, against Finland in Helsinki on June 3. After
only twelve minutes, John Barnes ruptured his right Achilles tendon and ruled
himself out of the tournament, whilst Gary Stevens, the one remaining recognised
right-back in the squad, suffered a stress fracture in his right foot and he,
too, had to withdraw. Two days later, UEFA agreed to allow two replacements to
join the squad; Andy Sinton, originally on standby for Barnes; and Keith Curle,
who was a central defender, and now found himself recalled as the fourth-choice
right-back.

Unfortunately for Taylor, there was
to be another crushing blow, when Liverpool captain, Mark Wright revealed that
he had aggravated an old Achilles tendon injury in Helsinki and did not travel
with the squad to Sweden on June 7. The Arsenal captain, Tony Adams was placed
on standby in case UEFA agreed to Wright being replaced. Wright flew to Sweden
to be examined by a UEFA medic on June 11, the day of England's opening game,
but as the injury was not a new one, the request was rejected, leaving England
with 19 squad members for the tournament.